Eon boss says diversity of energy supplies crucial for future needs

Britain risks becoming over-reliant on gas if it does not press ahead with new nuclear and coal-fired power stations, Paul Golby, the chief executive of Eon UK, one of Britain's big six energy suppliers, warned yesterday.

Eon is seeking permission to build Britain's first new coal-fired plant for 30 years and yesterday Golby said at a conference on coal: "Diversity is the key. We're in a race to replace ageing power stations and must strive to avoid sleepwalking into a gas-dependent future."

Environmental campaigners oppose nuclear new build and new coal-fired stations, arguing the UK needs a decentralised energy system based on efficiency and renewables.

The government is backing a commercial-scale trial of carbon capture and storage and yesterday energy minister Malcolm Wicks stressed the future role of coal to the British economy.

"We can't afford to forget coal, which contributes about 35% of UK power and has an important part to play in UK power policy."

At the same time, National Grid, which owns Britain's high voltage electricity transmission system, said it was in talks with its Belgian opposite number, Elia, over the construction of an interconnector to link the two countries' electricity networks. Britain already has an interconnector with France, while National Grid and the Dutch transmission system operator, TenneT, are building a €600m (£450m) link between the Netherlands and the UK. Yesterday Elia and National Grid said that if the scheme went ahead it would "increase diversity of supply and contribute to energy security in Belgium and the UK".